Trace-buckle.



No. 875,805. PATENTED DEC. 31, 1907.

G. E. WILLIAMSON. TRACE BUCKLE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN'30 1907 Snueufot V I Ga 6E; Willz'a 2225022, Vi mm GEORGE E. WILLIAMSON, OF DURANGO, COLORADO.

TRACE B UOKLE I No. 875,305.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 31, 1907.

Application filed January 30, 1907- Serial No. 354,894.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE E. WILLIAM- SON, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Durango, in the county of La Plata and State of Colorado, have invented new and useful Improvements in Trace-Buckles, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to trace buckles, and one of the principal objects of the same is to provide a strong, durable, reliable and ellicient buckle for leather or metal traces or chains.

Another object of the invention is to provide a buckle which will securely hold a trace or draft chain against accidental displacement and which will be quick and easy to open and close for engagement and disengagement of said trace or draft chain.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a buckle of comparatively simple construction which will engage the trace or draft chain at two points within its length, and thus distribute the strain upon the buckle.

These and other objects may be attained by means of the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view 01 a buckle made in I accordance with my invention, the buckle being shown closed. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the buckle open. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the closed buckle. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view on the line 44, Fig.

-1. Fig. 5 is a transverse vertical sectional view on the line 5-5, Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a plan view of a modified form of my buckle. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the wire bail for the buckle shown in Fig. 6.

Referring to the drawing for a more particular description of my invention, the numeral 1, in Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 designates the base portion of the body or frame of the buckle, said base portion having a central cut away portion 2 to reduce the weight of the buckle, and two upwardly extending studs 3, 4, said studs being formed upon the edge of the metal forming the base 1, as shown more particularly in Figs. 2 and 4. Extending at opposite sides of the base portion 1 are loops 5, 6 for the attachment of the trace supporting strap and belly band. Extending forwardly from the frame is a pair of side bars 7 connected by a pivotal'pin or cross-bar 8 for connection to the hame or hame tug. Extending upward from the base portion 1 of the buckle frame are the side bars 9, the up per edges of said side bars being bent over to form pintlev bearings 10, 11. Hinged to the bearing portions 10 is a cover 12, said cover being provided with openings 13 for the studs 3, 4, and said cover having a reduced portion 14 adapted to "lit between the bearing portions 11 upon the opposite side of the frame. Any suitable pintle, such as 15, may be utilized for hinging the cover 14 to the bearings 10. A wire bail 16 has its terminal ends bent outward, as at 17, and said ends are journaled in the bearings 11. Notches or recesses 18 are formed in the pintle bearings 11 to permit the bail 16 to spread when opened out in order that the reduced portion 14 may be seated between said pintle bearings 11. The wire bail 16 is provided with a curved portion 19 which its over the hinge portion 20 of the cover 12 to lock said cover in place when the trace or chain is engaged with the studs 3 and 4. The bail 16 is provided with an outwardly curved portion 21 connected by a cross-bar 22.

The operation of the buckle thus far de scribed may be briefly referred to as follows: Nhen the leather or metal trace is engaged by the studs 3, 4, the cover 12 is closed down, and the bail 16 is swung over the cover and the portion 19 of said bail engaged with the hinge portion 20 of the cover. To open the buckle the bail is first detached from the hinge portion 20 and swung outward in the position shown in Fig. 2, the side members of the bail then springing outward into the notches 18 and permitting the cover 12 to be opened on its hinge.

In the modified form of the buckle shown in Fig. 6, the frame of the buckle is connected at one end by an integral cross-bar 23 and by a roller or pivotal cross-bar 24. The wire bail 25 for holding the cover 12 in place is connected to a pin 26 secured to said cover 12 and the free ends 27 of said bail are adapted to spring within the keepers 28 formed upon the buckle frame, said wire bail having upwardly extending finger portions 29 to permit the bail to be brought together to remove the ends 27 from the keeper 28, as shown in dotted lines in said figure.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is:

1. A trace buckle comprising a frame, studs projecting from said frame, a cover hinged to said frame and provided with apertures for said studs, a wire bail hinged to bail hinged to the pintle bearings upon the opposite side of the frame, and said pintle bearings provided with notches to engage the wire bail, and said wire bail having a curved portion to engage the hinge portion of the cover, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE E. WILLIAMSON. Witnesses:

FRANCIS E. TELKA, HENRY -D. BEHRMAN.

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